ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced today that it has opened its newest franchise in Wallingford, Connecticut. Always Best Care of Wallingford/Greater New Haven marks the company’s sixth location in the state and will provide senior care services to the communities of Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Meriden, Madison, North Haven, North Branford, New Haven, Orange, Prospect and Wallingford. The new agency is owned and operated by first-time franchisee Linda Craig.

“Linda exudes an admirable amount of dedication and passion towards positively impacting the lives of those in need,” said Jake Brown, President and CEO of Always Best Care. “We’re very proud to welcome her to the Always Best Care family and believe her past experience in management and leadership in the medical arena coupled with her knowledge of the local community will allow her to provide exceptional care to Wallingford and the surrounding areas.”

As a resident of Wallingford for more than three decades, Craig has built a career devoted to helping the local community through various roles within the healthcare industry. The entrepreneur has experience in pharmaceuticals and laboratory management and most recently held the position of Regional Manager of Business Development for an oncology medical diagnostics company, establishing a strong network of healthcare professionals within the community. Craig earned a masters degree from the University of West Haven and a bachelor’s degree from Drew University.

“After many years of working with patients on a variety of levels within Wallingford and the surrounding areas, I noticed the need for quality senior care services,” said Craig. “I’m thrilled to bring Always Best Care’s services to my community and will continue to pride myself on providing the best care to seniors and loved ones that need it most.”

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care, and is the only senior services franchise system that combines the three to create three separate revenue streams for its franchisees. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada.

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client’s particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.

About Always Best Care

Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company’s clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.

Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Just in time for the holiday rush, Maui Wowi® Hawaiian Coffees and Smoothies (www.MauiWowi.com) is giving coffee lovers that extra caffeine boost they need with another sweet Cyber Monday deal.

When online shoppers visit shop.mauiwowi.com on November 26, they’ll be able to purchase 12-ounce bags of premium Maui Wowi Hawaiian coffee blends at half price using the promotional code CYBER at checkout. This is a one-day-only deal, valid on Cyber Monday.

“We’re excited to offer Maui Wowi customers and coffee lovers everywhere the chance to experience our delicious, Hawaiian coffee blends at a discounted online price,” said Helene Dion, national marketing manager for Kahala Brands™, parent company of Maui Wowi. “Whether you’re gearing up for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season or looking for that extra-flavorful gift to give a loved one, we want customers to know Maui Wowi has you covered!”

One fan-favorite blend that will be available to shoppers is the limited-time-only Maui Mountain Roast: a bold coffee blend made with beans cultivated in the premier coffee-growing conditions of Maui that offers subtle hints of wild berry with an earthy finish. Other popular choices include dark roasts like the Molokai blend and flavored coffees like Toasted Coconut, Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Vanilla.

Maui Wowi harvests its coffee beans from Hawaii’s Kona District, Molokai, Maui and Kauai regions, which are known for their rich volcanic soil—perfect for growing coffee that is smooth and less acidic.

About Maui Wowi

Since 1982, Maui Wowi® has embraced the Hawaiian culture and has been serving paradise in a cup since the day it began, over 30 years ago. From event carts, mall kiosks and stand-alone retail locations, Maui Wowi offers premium smoothies, as well as gourmet Hawaiian coffees and espresso beverages. The company maintains strong community involvement through fundraising efforts by its franchisees, in addition to Team Karma; an initiative that promotes corporate responsibility and giving back to the community. The brand has more than 450 operating units and an online store. In November 2015, Maui Wowi was acquired by Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands with approximately 3300 locations in 30 countries.

Leading non-medical home care franchise recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for second consecutive year.

CINCINNATI — FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top franchises for veterans.

FirstLight was evaluated based on veteran incentives, support of veteran franchisees, and its ranking in the 2018 Franchise 500. This is the company’s second year in a row making the list.

“We’ve long been a supporter of veterans and are always looking for more ways to show appreciation for those who have served our country,” said Jeff Bevis, CEO and co-founder of FirstLight Home Care. “We have programs in place to provide veterans with assistance in opening their own FirstLight business, and we’ve had tremendous success at our locations owned by those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”

As part of its support for all U.S. military veterans, FirstLight discounts its franchise fee by $12,500 for veterans. Bevis also serves as the current committee chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA) Education Foundation VetFran Committee, which helps provide access and opportunities in both employment and franchising for veterans and their spouses. Additionally, FirstLight regularly attends and presents at regional and national events that are created to assist transitioning veterans to highlight both business ownership and employment opportunities that exist within the franchise industry for veterans and their spouses.

In addition to making Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Franchises for Veterans list, Franchise Business Review ranked FirstLight as a Top Franchise for Veterans for the second consecutive year.

The recognition from Entrepreneur adds to the recent awards FirstLight has been receiving lately. In recent months, the company has also made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing, privately held companies (for the 4th consecutive year of eligibility), as well as the Franchise Times Top 200+ of the 500 largest franchise companies for the fourth and sixth consecutive times, respectively. The company has also made Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 Franchises for Innovation list.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care is a top rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 100,000 hours per week in care for more than 4,800 clients in over 34 states. The company has created a new standard in home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make them an emerging market leader in a rapidly-growing industry. Their 4,700 caregivers provide companion and personal care services at private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes and group homes. Clients include seniors, new mothers, individuals recovering from surgery, veterans, adults with disabilities and anyone 18 and over who might just need a little extra care or assistance.

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Oasis Senior Advisors celebrates the bond between seniors and their families. That’s why the Bonita Springs-based franchisor is proud to underwrite the production of Family Pictures USA, a television series and transmedia project that will air in the spring of 2019 on WGCU-TV and nationally on the World channel.

Family Pictures USA blends the personal narrative style of the popular PBS series StoryCorps with the surprising discoveries that made Antiques Roadshow a hit show on public television. The production crew traveled to Southwest Florida, Detroit and North Carolina to film families as they sorted through old photos and gained fascinating insight about their heritage.

“Every day, our advisors see the strength of the emotional connection between seniors, their families and their past,” Oasis Senior Advisors CEO Tim Evankovich said. “Family Pictures USA underscores that connection and shows how it links families with their communities and the nation as a whole. We’re thrilled to be a part of this amazing show.”

The show is an offshoot of Digital Diaspora Family Reunion, a touring program that brings people together to encourage them to engage with their own family photographic archives in galvanizing ways.

Digital Diaspora has held live events in cities across the USA and around the world for the past 10 years, amassing interviews of more than 2,500 people and gathering in excess of 30,000 images. It also gave rise to the 2014 documentary film “Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People.”

“The Senegalese poet Leopold Senghor said, ‘The photograph is the shortest distance between one person’s eyes and another person’s heart,’ and that’s what this is all about,” Family Pictures USA Executive Producer Don Perry said. “This project is really about engaging in an intergenerational dialogue.”

Perry and Family Pictures host and creator Thomas Allen Harris came to Southwest Florida this fall and held two photo sharing events where families brought in their old pictures, many of which became the basis for the storytelling that takes place on the show.

One of the segments features Independent Miccosukee native Larry Osceola and family going through their albums, an experience that piqued the interest of the family’s children in surprising ways.

“The kids were like, ‘We should do this more often.’ They thanked us. They had such a ball doing it that they want to make it a regular thing,” Perry said.

Part of the idea behind the show is to reintroduce families to a way of exploring their own history that strengthens ties with older members of the family.

“We love that Oasis is a sponsor, working to connect us with human beings who provide vital connections to our past,” Perry said. “Elderly folks are often looked on as a problem at a certain point. In a culture that undervalues age, we don’t want to be reminded of our mortality. But we need to look instead at their vitality and their engagement.”

Oasis Senior Advisors is dedicated to helping seniors live better lives by providing a no-cost service that guides them to the right place for their care. The company undertakes numerous initiatives that help raise awareness of issues that affect seniors, such as the Virtual Dementia Tour, which affords caregivers, health care workers and family members a better understanding of the disease.

About Oasis Senior Advisors

Founded in 2014 by Tim Evankovich, Oasis Senior Advisors provides free, personalized help finding transitional housing solutions that best fit the needs of seniors and their families. This includes senior housing, hospital discharge, elder law, specialty care, and more. The company, based in Bonita Springs, Florida, operates a growing number of franchises across the U.S. Their personalized and caring approach to aid seniors and their families has helped many achieve satisfaction, comfort and peace of mind. Through client satisfaction and its strong partnerships with many top-rated senior living communities and services in the country, Oasis Senior Advisors is positioned for continued growth. Franchise opportunities are available nationwide.

National non-medical home care provider announces new Chicagoland location.

CHICAGO — FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, announced today it will expand its presence in the Chicagoland area when its new location in Algonquin/northwest suburbs opens in early 2019. The office will be owned and operated by the father-daughter team of Glenn and Katarina Garbowicz.

FirstLight Home Care of Algonquin will be serving the northwest Chicago suburbs, including Carpentersville, Elgin, Huntley, St. Charles and Sleepy Hollow. Qualified caregivers — home health aides and CNAs — all across this northwest suburban area interested in FirstLight career opportunities are encouraged to email either Glenn Garbowicz at ggarbowicz@firstlighthomecare.com or Katarina Garbowicz at kgarbowicz@firstlighthomecare.com.

FirstLight serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance. Their caregivers help with many needs – from personal hygiene and household duties such as cooking, cleaning and running errands to mobility assistance and dementia care.

“We’re expanding in the Chicagoland area to provide even more of our unique, industry-leading service quality to more potential clients and their families,” said Jeff Bevis, FirstLight Home Care co-founder and CEO. “This gives people with aging parents and family caregivers who live in the northwestern part of the Chicago area a new option for in home care.”

Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight Home Care has experienced steady growth and is now operating more than 250 locations in 34 states throughout the U.S.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care is a top rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 100,000 hours per week in care for more than 4,800 clients in over 34 states. The company has created a new standard in home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make them an emerging market leader in a rapidly-growing industry. Their 4,700 caregivers provide companion and personal care services at private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes and group homes. Clients include seniors, new mothers, individuals recovering from surgery, veterans, adults with disabilities and anyone 18 and over who might just need a little extra care or assistance.

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. — NEXTAFF, an industry leader in identifying quality talent for businesses, today announced it is opening its first location in Sonoma County, California.

The new office will operate in Rohnert Park, California, and will offer staffing solutions to businesses in all industries.

“Sonoma has a vibrant culture and a wealth of talent to pull from,” said Cary Daniel, co-founder and director at NEXTAFF. “But it’s not about helping local business find any talent, it’s about finding quality talent. Whether you’re looking for housekeepers, accountants, or drivers, every business is trying to accomplish one goal: getting a quality person in that role. At NEXTAFF, we differentiate ourselves, to the benefit of our clients, by expanding beyond the job boards and connecting with any and every person that might be open minded about a new job or career. The result is a completely different approach to the same candidate search — providing a larger pool of qualified candidates before you even start the screening process.”

“We evaluate each client on a case-by-case basis,” Daniel said. “The NEXTAFF system is designed to be customized for each client, based on their particular needs and the industry they’re in. One thing that’s the same, though, is that our methodology can increase candidate quality by five times the norm. We look forward to bringing results like that to Sonoma.”

About NEXTAFF

NEXTAFF helps companies identify, evaluate and acquire quality talent through our proprietary X-FACTOR™ model. Our comprehensive approach is designed to outperform a typical staffing supplier model by up to five times. Each office is locally owned and operated, which allows our clients to work directly with owners in hiring quality talent. As the franchise division of Malone Workforce Solutions, NEXTAFF offers a variety of custom solutions to industrial, administrative, professional, information technology and healthcare industries. NEXTAFF’s goal is to enable clients to concentrate on their core business activities while we identify, evaluate and acquire quality talent.

America’s Favorite Neighborhood Pet Store Donates Over $20,000 to RHEA to Support Dogs Recovering from Abuse and Neglect

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Pet Supplies Plus – the largest and most trusted pet retail franchise in the United States – stepped in to help assist the team at the RHEA County Animal Shelter after the organization rescued 119 Yorkies, Chihuahuas and other smaller-breed dogs from a horrible puppy mill in Knoxville, Tennessee last month. In effort to get the dogs back in good health, Pet Supplies Plus donated over $20,000 worth of product and supplies.

As of today, the corporate team from Pet Supplies Plus was able to provide wet dog food, deworming medicine, flea/tick prevention, bandages, medical supplies, beds, food bowls and other necessary grooming supplies such as brushes, nail trimmers, etc. While some dogs have regained their health, some are still are on the road to recovery and are waiting to be medically cleared in addition to being assessed for any behavioral issues. Each dog is still in foster care with a long list of potential adoptive parents, many who are currently fostering the dogs, lining up to place them permanently in their forever homes.

“Pet Supplies Plus is honored to be able to help the RHEA County Animal Shelter. We admire their efforts and determination that went into locating these helpless animals,” said Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus. “The conditions the 119 dogs lived in were extreme, which why we felt absolutely inclined to step in to provide our resources. We’re hopeful that our resources will continue to help in their road to recovery after being abused and neglected for an immeasurable amount of time. Most importantly, I’m blown away by the number of our employees, from our surrounding franchise locations, who volunteered to help aid the animals and also the shelter. For that, I thank each and every one of you.”

Pet Supplies Plus offers a wide array of natural pet foods, and a variety of Made in the USA pet consumables. These include wet and dry food, treats, rawhide and chews. Set in welcoming neighborhood environments, Pet Supplies Plus team members get to know their neighbors and pets by name at every store. Many locations also feature a full offering of grooming services tailored to meet every pet’s needs, including washes, haircuts, body brushing, flea treatment and nail, skin, ear and oral care.

Donations to the RHEA County Animal Shelter are welcome. For more information on when the animals will be available for adoption or how to donate, please visit www.rheacountytn.gov or call (423) 775-7837. Additionally, neighbors are encouraged to visit www.petsuppliesplus.com/Store to find and contact their closest store for details.

About Pet Supplies Plus

Pet Supplies Plus is focused on making it easier to get better products for your pet. With more than 435 locations in 33 states, the stores have a streamlined design making it easy to navigate a wide assortment of natural foods, hard goods and pet services. Headquartered in Livonia, MI., Pet Supplies Plus is ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s Annual Franchise 500® list as the Top Full-Service Pet Supplies Franchise for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength, growth rate and system size.

WACO, Texas — Neighborly, formerly Dwyer Group, one of the world’s largest franchising companies of home service brands, has announced the appointment of Bryan Saltzburg to the Board of Directors, effective immediately.

In this role, Saltzburg will work with the rest of the company’s board members to guide activities at Neighborly and the company’s family of service brands as they continue to grow and expand on a global level.

“The Neighborly Board of Directors is thrilled to have a seasoned professional like Bryan join our team,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “Bryan is a strong B2C executive who has nearly 20 years of managerial experience running marketing, product and operations within some of the largest brands in the consumer Internet industry. He understands how to manage and lead growth through online services and will therefore make a great asset to our board as we continue to grow our Neighborly platform.”

In addition to being recently appointed to the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, Saltzburg currently serves as President of Flights and Cruise for TripAdvisor, Inc., the world’s largest travel site, and has been part of their executive leadership team for the past decade. Saltzburg has also served as Vice President and General Manager of New Initiatives, tasked to incubate and scale large online business verticals on a global basis, including Flights, Vacation Rentals, and now Cruise. Prior to TripAdvisor, he gained extensive experience working with other leading consumer brands including Travelocity.com, The Walt Disney Company, Neutrogena Corporation and Princess Cruise Line, Ltd. Both Travelocity.com and TripAdvisor, Inc. experienced tremendous periods of growth during his tenure.

“I am honored to be joining the Neighborly Board at such a pivotal time for this growing brand,” said Saltzburg. “As Neighborly continues to be a leading innovator in the home services industry, I am excited to contribute to this team as the parent company works toward setting and achieving new goals for its family of franchising companies.”

Saltzburg holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University.

About Neighborly:

Neighborly is a holding company of 21 service brands, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing consumers’ homes and businesses. The company operates online platforms that connect consumers to service providers in their local communities that meet their rigorous standards as a franchisor across 14 service categories at www.getneighborly.com in the United States and www.getneighbourly.ca in Canada. The company was founded in 1981 as Dwyer Group and is based in Waco, Texas.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Assisted Living Locators, a leading senior care referral and placement agency, has reached its 100th franchise milestone. According to a recent study by FRANdata, only 22% of brands have reached 100 units over the past 5 years.

Assisted Living Locators breaks into the triple digits after a decade of consecutive growth, including an unprecedented franchise recruitment rate over the past two years. As the first senior placement and referral franchise business in the U.S., the company has pioneered its way to a national presence with 103 franchisees in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

Assisted Living Locators awarded this landmark 100th franchise to John Weber, its Wichita, KS, franchise owner who will be expanding his business footprint to Topeka, KS.

“The hallmark of a successful business model is when your existing franchisees invest in more territories,” said Angela Olea, Assisted Living Locators CEO RN. “Our franchisees recognize the value of owning Assisted Living Locators territories, which is a true testament to their confidence in our company.”

Mark Alivero, Assisted Living Locators COO, added, “I also credit our investment in a proprietary, custom CRM platform, Assisted Living Locators Integrated Network (ALL-IN™), as well as our increased focus on franchisee training and support, business processes and lead generation expansion, as the building blocks of our success.”

“We have a proven business model that is attracting qualified candidates to become business owners in the dynamic senior care market,” said Olea.

“The growth rate in the assisted living industry is unprecedented,” she explained. “Revenues are currently at $12-15 billion per year and are expected to increase. Every day in America, there are tens of thousands of families searching for assisted living homes and communities for their elderly parents. Our aim is to recruit business-minded franchisees who have a passion for helping this growing senior population.”

About Assisted Living Locators

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Assisted Living Locators offers a no cost nationwide elder care referral and placement service for in-home companion care, independent retirement options, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities. The company generates revenue from the referral fees paid by the facilities. A top performing franchise organization, Assisted Living Locators is ranked in Entrepreneur’s “Franchise500®” 2018 issue and Franchise Business Review’s “2017 Top Franchises Report.”

Former Lifestyle Consultant for Massage Heights Retreat in Omaha, Nebraska Joins USA Bobsled National Team

SAN ANTONIO — Massage Heights, a leader of professional, affordable and convenient therapeutic massage and facial services, announced today that it is sponsoring Nicole Brungardt, a USA bobsledder and former employee of one of its franchisees. Brungardt, who worked as a lifestyle consultant for Massage Heights West Maple in her home state of Nebraska, was recently selected to join the USA Bobsled National Team and will kick off the World Cup season in Latvia from Dec. 3-9, 2018.

“We are so proud of all Nicole’s achievements thus far and stand in awe of her relentless, unwavering commitment to pursuing her dreams. It truly feels that things have come full circle as we build this partnership together and support her the way she once supported Massage Heights,” said Shane Evans, co-founder and president of Massage Heights. “We’re so inspired by her and feel honored to stand behind her, cheering her on through this next journey with sights set on Beijing.”

Brungardt joined the Women’s Bobsled Team on the North American Circuit in Oct. 2017, and in her rookie season, won three gold medals making her an up-and-coming star in the sport. Prior to bobsledding, Brungardt played volleyball and ran track in both high school and college and was inducted into the Norfolk Catholic High School Hall of Fame, as well as the Wayne State Athletics Hall of Fame.

“Massage therapy has always played a vital role in my success as a collegiate and professional athlete. I rely on it for not only the physical benefits, but for mental relaxation, as well,” said Nicole Brungardt. “As a former employee of Massage Heights, I have a strong personal connection and great respect for the brand, and I’m excited about this new partnership together.”

About Massage Heights

Massage Heights is a family-owned, membership-based therapeutic services franchise company that provides Members and Guests convenient, professional, affordable resort-quality massage and facial services that help people achieve a balanced and healthy lifestyle, in an upscale Retreat environment. Regular massage and skin therapy services help people look and feel their best from the inside out by aiding in the reduction of stress, pain management and increased relaxation, all resulting in the ability to tackle daily life with a higher level of vitality and positivity, truly elevating the everyday.

About Team Nicole USA

Team Nicole USA is a group of sponsors, donors and supporters of USA bobsled athlete Nicole Brungardt. A Norfolk, Nebraska native, Nicole joined the USA Bobsled team in 2017 winning three gold medals on the North American circuit her rookie season. In 2018 she earned a spot on the USA Bobsled National team, competing on the World Cup circuit. Follow her journey at TeamNicoleUSA.com.